Get the Look: A Patternful Blue & White Dining Room for the Holidays

My eyes basically popped out of my head when I received the latest issue of House Beautiful and I saw Lee Ann Thornton‘s jewel box redo of a Connecticut ranch house. The woodwork (which was all brand new, apparently — amazing what you can do with applied moldings), the colors, the patterns, the cozy rooms, everything, everything is right up my personal style alley. Jewel box.

It is apparently up many people’s style alley, because I’ve seen it featured on two other design blogs already.

One room, in particular, that made me gasp was the lovely, yet so friendly-and-accessible-feeling dining room.

Lee Ann Thornton

I’d be hard pressed to find an individual who doesn’t like blue and white. It is the essence of classic.

I love Lee Ann’s employment of pattern-on-pattern, one of my favorite granny chic techniques. However, notice how carefully she plays with different pattern scales and tones/values of the blue color. That is where the designer works her magic!

While Lee Ann employs a number of very high-end trade-only sources, this is one look that the DIY decorator could imitate pretty successfully, I think, again, paying careful attention to scale and color. For some of the big ticket items, I’ve included some more budget-friendly options. Lots of vintage finds!

And, as always, note that items from companies like Schumacher, Noir, Visual Comfort, Merida, etc. are available to Home Glow Design clients according to my pricing.

Get the Look: A Patternful Blue & White Dining Room

While it’s a pretty tight squeeze for any of you lovely readers to create a dining room from scratch before Thanksgiving, you could definitely have it done by Hanukkah, Christmas, and the New Year!

The next big patterned item is that stunning hand-blocked tablecloth from Zsuzsanna Nyul. Again, trade only. Do a google search, and you’ll find a number of block print tablecloths (this is one of my absolute favorite Etsy sources for block print tablecloths), but whatever you find has to play nicely with your wallpaper! And for that reason, I really like this one from Serena & Lily.

Lee Ann’s is from Paul Ferrante, and looks to me like it is 18-20″ in diameter. The ones pictured below are 15″ and 12″ in diameter respectively. If you have a rectangular or oval table you probably need two of these over your table. If you have a round table that is larger than 48″, you might want to find something bigger but without glass to keep the cost down.

I adore mismatched blue and white china, but unless you are an avid picker, it can take a while to collect and mix and match well. This Chairish shop has a ton of sets already perfectly collected for you. The owner also sells from an Etsy shop.

If it were me, I’d add a hefty dose of vintage “brown” into the mix with a gorgeous sideboard. This one is from Baker on Chairish, but I bet if you scope your local Craigslist or auctions, you’ll find something similar for half the price and no shipping. We’ll throw it into the mix, so you can see what it would look like with everything else.

I have a few stories in the works — a teen boy room reveal, a new furniture maker in support of men in addiction recovery, another art story. What do you want to hear about next Saturday???? Let me know!!!

Oh, and for those of you who are curious as to whether I decided to go for the vintage stove or the new Lacanche, well, multiple factors came into play. Not the least of which is we are still at least 2 years from our kitchen project and lack humidity controlled and mouse-proof storage space. I let the stove go.

Reader Mike from Florida expressed interest, and I sent him my lead. He is now in the process of trying to coordinate the transport of that 1,000 lb. baby from the Northeast! Good luck, Mike, and send me a picture!

Love love love this. Have always adored the blue/white combo and secretly want another home to do it all up. I would love to see a post on fireplace andirons/firedogs and/or ways to update your fireplace (can you paint the inside? if so, with what?). The fireplace season is upon us!ReplyCancel

Amy

I know. I wish I had room to do a blue and white room here, too. And thanks for the idea! I will definitely give it consideration!ReplyCancel

Paula Moreshead

I really like the wooden sideboard that you added to the room design! As much as I liked the room when I saw it in the magazine, it seemed a little light and in need of some warmth and weight.not that I’m an expert. Also, it’s hard to see the table that is holding the mirror and blue and white ginger jars, so maybe it adds more to the room than appears in the picture. Your options are so wonderful and would make another beautiful room and much more affordable for most people. Thanks for another great post!ReplyCancel

About Home Glow

I'm a wife, mom to two super busy boys, musician, and everything-house-enthusiast! I believe that color should be gorgeous, not garish, and that great design is both fresh and timeless. Make your home glow!